Ugly | Alpine Beer Company

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Dark brown and nearly black with ruby red edges and a thick and creamy espresso head. Tons of lacing down the glass. Ugly? No.

The aroma is incredibly hop (pine) forward. This is what I hoped Sierra Nevada's Hop Smack would smell like. It's like walking through a dense pine forest. Behind the pine is a bit of roast and chocolate, but the pine hop aromas are front and center.

The pine aromas don't translate quite as thorougly to the flavor of the beer, though they certainly make their presence known. A moderate bitterness and more roast and chocolate than expected round out this beer's flavor.

Medium, though creamy, body.

One of my favorite black IPAs, and excellent on cask (though it was served far, far too cold; what gives, O'Brien's?).

Jet black, even darker than some stouts, tan head, kicks it forever back on the patio of Alpine, lace holds very well, really, as perfect as a beer can look in this style. Aroma was of bitter, rather than fruity hops. Cascade, Chinook I'd guess, would have liked more dry hop aroma out of this, which isn't to say that it wasn't good, but its Alpine, I'm expecting close to all 5's for an ipa. Yes, they spoil us.

Taste, plenty bitter again, made me think if there were Nugget hops in it. Didn't taste roastiness from the malt (dehusked prolly), I think many reviewers simply see black color and figure it must be roasty/charred/smoky. It was a pretty light in terms of malt configuration, as opposed to appearance.

Was a little slow drinking, I dunno if it was because it was 11am when I had it, the peaceful setting outside, or the alcohol/bitterness was higher than expected in the mouthfeel. Either way, I still recommend this beer, but drink some Nelson, Duet, Pure or Exponential first if its available.

Pours a deep and dark brown into a pint glass with clear ruby highlights. Half inch of tan foam settles to a surface film in a few minutes and keeps for the pint. Spotty lacing ensues.

Nose is of sweetened chocolate and earthen pine hops. Bit resinous as are many an Alpine IPA but without the meaty texture.

Flavor is somewhat thin as the dark malts compete with the hops. Touch of cocoa powder on the finish. The 7.5% is quite well disguised as the beer comes off as a moderate black lager in a sense, with a bit of spice.

Offers a moderate feel and drink and improves with warming as the hop notes expand a bit.

Bottom line: An interesting beer and well done for the style, yet a style that misses me completely. And in this case, a waste of hops. Others might find more balance.

Espresso brown body, not quite opaque. Clarity is excellent when held to the light. Huge resiny pine goodness on the nose, sharp and green. There's a hint of dry roastiness beneath. Palate has a big pine kick up front, followed by coffee-like roasted malt and a little orange toward the finish that makes me think of chocolate covered oranges. Light bodied, extremely quaffable though very bitter in the finish. Quite the palate wrecker, the coffee and pine sap bitterness sticks to the tongue for ages. Alpine nails it yet again, this is my new favorite India Black Ale.

Quite a tasty brew, as always from the Alpine boys (when it's not a diacetyl bomb).

Pours a Rick black with a creamy, lasting head with excellent lacing.

Big citrus notes with a touch of pine on the nose. Really nice to sniff.

On the palate this is just a touch clean for my tastes. Hop bitterness is assertive but one note, body is medium but thin through the finish. Dry, and roast is mild if present at all, but no sweetness or grain character mid palate leaves this easy, but unengaging (that is, lacking in complexity) on the tongue.

It's actually quite a nice beer but could use more depth. Some of Nelson's rough edges would be welcome, here.

A: Dark brown with a solid finger khaki head with large bubbles. Head retention is solid down to the end and lacing is good down the glass.

S: Smells like a little brown sugar with a hop flower sticking out of it. Some burnt scents, and some flowery hoppyness.

T: Very well balanced. Bitter upfront with a smoothing dark malty sweetness in the mid palate, then finishes decidedly bitter. A bit of stinging bitterness hits right in the middle of your tongue as with most other Alpine IPA's. It's actually very similar to Duet, but with an added complexity of the darker malt.

M: Some harsh, stinging needles turned me off a bit, but the medium carbonation and medium body were both right on target for the style.

O: I liked it. I would highly recommend this for a black IPA. Quite tasty, I prefer it to Stone SSR.

Poured from a 64oz growler into multiple pints. Thanks to HeatherAnn, Jay, Wil, and Chris for the assist. Extra special thanks to errantnight for this latest installment in our never ending trade!

A: Pours pitch black with slight hints of chestnut at the edges. A pillowy, dark tan head reaches about two fingers this and acts like it's going to hand around for the duration. Slowly but surely though, it settles into a finely bubbled collar that left just a little lace.